The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
The Board approved the minutes of the Board of Trustees regular meeting held on March 18, 2025 and the special meeting held on March 27, 2025. At this meeting, the Board Chair and Chancellor recognized and appreciated outgoing Trustee John Brooks for nearly two decades of service to the district. Chancellor Gower also recognized and appreciated Alex Cline, CIO for 28 years of distinguished service to IECC. Mr. Cline will retire on April 30, 2025.
Following adoption of a resolution for the election results of April 1st, the oath of office was administered to trustees Susan Batchelor, Louisville; John McLaughlin, Olney; and Roger Browning, Mt. Carmel. Trustees Batchelor and McLaughlin were seated for six-year terms expiring in 2031 and Trustee Browning was seated for a two-year term expiring in 2027.
The oath of office was also administered to Mireya Rose, who was seated for a one-year term as student member of the Board of Trustees. A student at Wabash Valley College, she succeeds student trustee Jorri VanDyke.
Trustee Gary Carter was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Trustee Brenda Culver was elected Vice-Chair. Trustee Brenda Culver was elected Secretary Pro Tempore. Ryan Hawkins was re-appointed District Treasurer. Sonja Wease was re-appointed Board Secretary and District Ethics Officer. All of the officers were elected unanimously.
Action was taken to adopt a resolution regarding all rules, regulations, policies, and actions of prior Board of Trustees.
A resolution was adopted listing the dates, times and locations of regular monthly meetings for the remainder of calendar year 2025. The meetings will continue to be held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:15 p.m., except for the May meeting which shall be on the fourth Tuesday and the December 2025 meeting, which will be held on the second Tuesday. Meeting location will rotate between the four colleges, as follows:
Tuesday, May 27, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College
Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College
Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College
Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College
An affiliation agreement was approved with Haven of Bridgeport.
The Board waived a second reading and approved revisions to Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources Policy (200.2) to reinforce the use of IECC email accounts for professional correspondence.
The Board approved the adoption of a resolution of intent to issue bonds not to exceed $8,000,000 for the purpose of paying the claims of the District, direct that notice of such intention to issue the bonds be given as provided by law, and defines the claims to be paid.
A resolution expressing official intent to reimburse the District for expenditures was also issued.
The Board authorized modifications to the construction budgets of the Capital Development Project at Lincoln Trail College and a future athletic facility at Frontier Community College.
The following were approved as part of the personnel report: Approval of employment for Dr. Cathy Robb as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs effective May 19, 2025; prior approval for Chief Information Officer position; Daniel Shugars as Head Women’s Basketball Coach, LTC effective June 1, 2025; Grayson Flittner as Head Men’s Basketball Coach, OCC effective April 28, 2025; and Tanara Ryden as TRIO Student Support Services Academic Advisor, OCC effective April 28, 2025.
New employment contracts were approved for LTC President/Vice Chancellor of Institutional Outreach Tona Ambrose; OCC President/Vice Chancellor of Business Operations Chris Simpson; and WVC President/Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Matt Fowler.
Change in employment status was approved for Dr. Sharmila Kakac from Dean of Business & Industry to FCC President and Vice Chancellor of Business & Industry effective July 1, 2025.
Voluntary separations for faculty were approved for Curtis Allen Brown effective May 8, 2025; Kristi Urfer, Juliana James effective May 31, 2025; Anne Hustad, Rob Mason, Anuradha Roy, & Reno Bemont effective July 31, 2025.
Resignation ratification was approved for Luke Scheidecker as Head Women’s Basketball Coach, WVC effective April 11, 2025.
Adoption of the 2023-2026 Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement between the District and the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Education Association (ICCEA). Memorandums of Agreement establishing a Joint Faculty Evaluation Committee and Distance Learning Education Committees were unanimously voted down by the Board.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 6:15 p.m. at Frontier Community College, Fairfield, IL.